Shipboard Vessel Having a Vertically Aligned Scrubber and Process Component

Abstract

The vessel apparatus processes exhaust gases and effluent seawater on a ship. Structurally, the vessel apparatus includes a vertically oriented vessel. Further, a scrubber is positioned within the vessel to remove pollutants from the exhaust gases with seawater. Also, an effluent seawater processing component is positioned in the vessel above the scrubber. Between the processing component and the scrubber is a liquid barrier that prevents effluent seawater from entering the top of the scrubber while allowing exhaust gases to pass from the scrubber to the top of the vessel. For operation of the apparatus, effluent seawater resulting from the scrubbing process is recirculated from below the scrubber to a location in the vessel above the processing component. As a result, the effluent seawater may be processed above the scrubber.

1 . A vessel apparatus for scrubbing exhaust gases from a ship comprising:
 a vertically oriented vessel;   a scrubber positioned within the vessel;   a degasifier positioned within the vessel above the scrubber;   a liquid barrier positioned within the vessel between the scrubber and the degasifier;   an exhaust port formed in the vessel below the scrubber for introducing the exhaust gases into the scrubber;   a seawater inlet formed in the vessel between the liquid barrier and the scrubber for feeding seawater into the scrubber to scrub the exhaust gases;   a recirculation conduit passing through the vessel at an effluent outlet positioned below the scrubber and at a recirculation port positioned above the degasifier to flow the effluent seawater into the degasifier to raise the pH of the effluent seawater; and   a discharge port formed in the vessel between the degasifier and the liquid barrier for discharging degasified effluent seawater from the vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the seawater absorbs sulfur dioxide from the exhaust gases, and wherein the degasifier removes dissolved carbon dioxide from the effluent seawater. 
     
     
         3 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a caustic addition stage wherein caustic is added to the effluent seawater to raise the pH of the effluent seawater. 
     
     
         4 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 3  wherein the caustic is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, and ammonium hydroxide. 
     
     
         5 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 3  wherein the caustic addition stage is positioned in the vessel above the liquid barrier. 
     
     
         6 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 1  further comprising an oxidizer positioned in the vessel above the liquid barrier to reduce a chemical oxygen demand of the effluent seawater. 
     
     
         7 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 1  the seawater has an alkalinity in the range of about 900 to about 2400 micromoles per liter. 
     
     
         8 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 7  wherein the seawater is discharged into the sea with a pH of about 6.5. 
     
     
         9 . A vessel apparatus for scrubbing exhaust gases from a ship comprising:
 a vertically oriented vessel;   a scrubber positioned within the vessel;   at least one processing component positioned within the vessel above the scrubber, said processing component being selected from the group consisting of a degasifier, an oxidizer, and a caustic addition stage;   a liquid barrier positioned within the vessel between the scrubber and the selected processing component;   an exhaust port formed in the vessel below the scrubber for introducing the exhaust gases into the scrubber;   a seawater inlet formed in the vessel between the liquid barrier and the scrubber for feeding seawater into the scrubber to scrub the exhaust gases;   a recirculation conduit passing through the vessel at an effluent outlet positioned below the scrubber and at a recirculation port positioned above the selected component to flow the effluent seawater into the selected processing component for treatment of the effluent seawater; and   a discharge port formed in the vessel between the selected component and the liquid barrier for discharging treated effluent seawater from the vessel.   
     
     
         10 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 9  wherein two processing components are selected from the group consisting of a degasifier, an oxidizer, and a caustic addition stage, and wherein each selected processing component is positioned within the vessel above the scrubber. 
     
     
         11 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 10  wherein three processing components are selected from the group consisting of a degasifier, an oxidizer, and a caustic addition stage, and wherein each selected processing component is positioned within the vessel above the scrubber. 
     
     
         12 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 9  wherein the exhaust gases include sulfur dioxide and wherein the seawater absorbs the sulfur dioxide from the exhaust gases in the scrubber. 
     
     
         13 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 12  wherein the caustic addition stage is selected and wherein, at the caustic addition stage, caustic is added to the effluent seawater to raise the pH of the effluent seawater. 
     
     
         14 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 12  wherein the degasifier is selected, and wherein the degasifier removes carbon dioxide from the effluent seawater to raise the pH of the effluent seawater. 
     
     
         15 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 12  wherein the oxidizer is selected and wherein the oxidizer reduces the chemical oxygen demand of the effluent seawater. 
     
     
         16 . A vessel apparatus for scrubbing exhaust gases from a ship comprising:
 a vertically oriented vessel;   a scrubber positioned within the vessel for absorbing pollutants from the exhaust gases into seawater;   a means for treating effluent seawater, said treating means being located within the vessel above the scrubber;   a liquid barrier positioned within the vessel between the scrubber and the treating means;   an exhaust port formed in the vessel below the scrubber for introducing the exhaust gases into the scrubber;   a seawater inlet formed in the vessel between the liquid barrier and the scrubber for feeding the seawater into the scrubber to scrub the exhaust gases;   a recirculation conduit passing through the vessel at an effluent outlet positioned below the scrubber and at a recirculation port positioned above the treating means; and   a discharge port formed in the vessel for discharging treated effluent seawater from the vessel.   
     
     
         17 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 16  wherein the exhaust gases include sulfur dioxide and wherein the seawater absorbs the sulfur dioxide from the exhaust gases in the scrubber. 
     
     
         18 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 18  wherein the scrubber is a first stage and wherein the treating means is a second stage. 
     
     
         19 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 18  wherein the treating means is a degasifier. 
     
     
         20 . The vessel apparatus as recited in  claim 19  wherein the degasifier removes dissolved carbon dioxide from the effluent seawater.